NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets have moved past the 2023-24 NBA trade deadline on Thursday and the team looks different after the trades of Spencer Dinwiddie and Royce O’Neale. To make things interesting, Brooklyn still has a game to play on Thursday against the Cleveland Cavaliers and the team will be more shorthanded than originally expected.
“A guy that is going to compete on a nightly basis,” Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn said prior to Thursday’s matchup against the Cavaliers of Dennis Schroder, who was acquired in the trade that sent Dinwiddie to the Toronto Raptors. Since the trade for Schroder happened on Thursday and because of the trade that sent O’Neale to the Phoenix Suns, Brooklyn will be missing two more players than they were already expecting to miss.
Vaughn mentioned that Lonnie Walker IV, who’s currently out because of tightness in his left hamstring, has “the potential” to play on Saturday against the San Antonio Spurs. Cam Johnson, current out because of left adductor tightness, has been ruled out for Saturday’s game and the team will see how he feels next week.
Vaughn was asked about Dinwiddie given that he was traded just hours prior to Thursday’s game and he said: ” I want everyone to have success in this league. And, so, I appreciate Spencer being a part of our group and want nothing but success for him moving forward.”
The Nets will be facing the Cavaliers without Dorian Finney-Smith, who’s still out with a left ankle sprain, Walker, Johnson, and Day’Ron Sharpe, who’s out with a left knee hyperextension, in addition to Dinwiddie and O’Neale. Not to mention that Brooklyn will be missing Harry Giles III and Thaddeus Young as both players were/will be waived after Thursday’s trade activity.
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